Pics: Spoorthi Ullal/Justin D'Silva/Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru/Udupi/Kundapur (ANK/MS)
Mangaluru/Udupi/Kundapur, Feb 8: Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Dr K V Rajendra on Monday February 8 took Covid vaccine shot during the second phase of immunization that began at Wenlock hospital here.
In the second phase, police officials, MCC officials, revenue officials and other frontline officers will take Covid vaccine shots.
Police commissioner N Shashi Kumar, IAS officer Mona Rawat, DCP Hariram Shankar, Vinay Goankar, and inspector Gopalakrishna Bhat also took the vaccine. Dr K V Rajendra also examined police commissioner N Shashi Kumar's blood pressure.
The administration aims to vaccinate 6,054 people in 41 centres in the district in this phase.
District health officer Dr Ramachandra Bayari said, "The second phase of Covid vaccination drive has begun. In this phase the vaccine will be given to officials of four departments over the next three days."
Deputy commissioner Dr K V Rajendra said, "There is a rise in the number of coronavirus cases in Kerala state. We will take all measures to contain the spread of the virus in the district by checking people at Kerala border.
"We will look into how we can conduct check ups without disrupting people’s movement, without violating Covid unlock norms. In this regard we will carry discussions with police, health and revenue departments. We have informed the department concerned to conduct RAT test in border areas and collect details.
"We will also conduct tests in colleges where there are students from Kerala state. Those who travel via bus from Kerala to Dakshina Kannada need to undergo tests for 15 days. It is a challenge for us to do this without restricting vehicular movement from both the districts. The district administration will take all kinds of preventive measures to contain the spread of the virus in the district," he said.
"There are over 6,000 students from Kerala in Dakshina Kannada district. They will undergo mission mode testing. Kerala students need to bring compulsory RTPCR negative report while attending schools and colleges here," said Dr Rajendra.
The district has already received 14,500 Covishield vaccines in the first phase. In the second phase, 23,950 doses were received. On Monday morning, 17,000 vaccine doses are expected to be received. Additional doses will be diverted to Udupi and Chikkamagaluru districts.
Sources said that the adminstration of second doses for those who have completed 28 days after getting vaccinated in the first phase, will begin on February 15. The task of informing those who got their first dose has been completed.
Udupi and Kundapur
Vaccination drive against coronavirus began for frontline workers in the district on Monday. Deputy commissioner G Jagadeesh led from the front and took the vaccination at Ajjarakad district hospital here.
Zilla panchayat CEO Dr Naveen Bhat, ASP Kumarachandra, tahsildar Pradeep Kurdekar, municipality commissioner Udaya Kumar Shetty also took the vaccination.
Speaking on the occasion, DC Jagadeesh said, "Tahsildars and CEOs of the taluk are going to take the vaccination in this phase. In three days, 4,040 people will be vaccinated. On the first day 593 people will be vaccinated in four government hospitals. First we have to take the vaccination and reduce the risk of coronavirus infection. We have got the vaccination administered with the intention that the officials should be healthy and ready to fight against Covid-19. I have not felt any side effect after taking the vaccination. There is no need for anyone to hesitate. Compared to the risk of coronavirus there is not even 1% risk in vaccination."
Dr Naveen Bhat, CEO, zilla panchayat said, "Those who have had coronavirus before and their family members know the value of vaccination. Public is under the impression that the coronavirus pandemic is eradicated. But there is a chance that the coronavirus may get transformed. That is why we have to take coronavirus vaccination. It is our good luck that we are getting this free from the government."
ASP Kumarachandra said that there is no need for anyone to hesitate to take the vaccination. All the frontline workers, who work against coronavirus pandemic should take the vaccination without any fear.
Out of the 4,040 frontline workers, 1,888 are police personnel, 357 are officials and personnel of city municipality, 569 are officers of revenue department, 1,210 are officials and personnel of rural development and panchayat raj and 16 are personnel of engineering division of panchayat raj.
In Kundapur, the vaccination drive began in the government public sub-divisional hospital.
Assistant commissioner of the taluk K Raju took the first vaccination. DySP of Kundapur subdivision Srikanatha K, CEO of taluk panchayat Keshava Shettigara and SI Sadashiv R Gavaroji of Kundapur police station also took the vaccination.
District Covid special medical officer Dr Premananda, taluk Covid nodal medical officer Dr Nagesh, administrative medical officer of the hospital Dr Robert D'Mello, taluk medical officer Dr Nagabhushana Udupa and nursing superintendent Annapoorna were present.